2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Trailblazer EXT years
- More complaints than other years 1st of 4 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 313 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT. That is the most of any Trailblazer EXT model year in the database (4 years). The most reported problem area is fuel system, gasoline (80 complaints, 26%), typically at around 70,000 miles. Complaints mention 7 crashes, 6 fires, 11 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 6 defect investigations involving it.
- 313owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 6NHTSA investigations
- 7complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline problems | 80 | 26% | 70,000 | “gas tank” (38%) | $1,400 |
| Electrical System problems | 77 | 25% | 84,225 | “instrument cluster” (14%) | $890 |
| Power Train | 49 | 16% | 61,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 25 | 8% | 53,122 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 23 | 7% | 60,129 | — | — |
| Structure | 20 | 6% | 43,268 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 16 | 5% | 69,060 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 13 | 4% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 12 | 4% | 43,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 9 | 3% | 71,700 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 7 | 2% | 149,420 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 7 | 2% | 106,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 7 | 2% | 81,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 6 | 2% | 61,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 5 | 2% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 5 | 2% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 4 | 1% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 3 | 1% | 43,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 1% | 79,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 1% | 93,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 1% | 104,300 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 2 | 1% | 25,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 0% | 3,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 0% | 120,600 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Problem: Certain sport utility vehicles have a rear side closure latch that may not latch or unlatch due to corrosion caused by road splash, such as water and road salt. These vehicles were originally sold in or currently registered in the following states: connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia.
Risk: If the door is not latched properly and it goes unnoticed, it may open while the vehicle is in motion. If an unbelted occupant fell out of the vehicle, personal injuries could occur.
Fix: Dealers will install a seal along the lower part of the rocker panel to prevent intrusion of corrosive material, and inspect the rear side closure latches. Functional latches will be cleaned and lubricated. Non-functioning latches will be replaced. The recall began on february 24, 2006. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, gmc at 1-866-996-9463, or isuzu at 1-800-255-6727.
Exterior lighting:brake lights
Problem: On certain sport utility vehicles, vibration and heat may cause the tail lamp/stop lamp bulb to loosen in its socket. If this occurs, the bulb may flicker and eventually become inoperative.
Risk: An inoperative brake lamp will not convey the driver's intention of stopping to drivers in following vehicles, and an inoperative rear turn signal lamp will not convey the driver's intention to turn to drivers in following vehicles. Both of these failures can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the tail lamp/stop lamp assemblies, and if necessary, replace them. The recall began on november 22, 2004. Owners should contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537, buick at 1-866-608-8080, or gmc at 1-866-996-9463.
Visibility:windshield wiper/washer
Problem: Certain sport utility vehicles have windshield wiper systems that will not turn on, cease operation while in use, fail to turn off/on by themselves (moisture sensitive wiper system), or have continuous windshield washer pump operation because the presence of water within the wiper modules can either cause a short circuit or can lead to the corrosion of components within the module.
Risk: Depending on the occurrence and weather situation, driver visibility could be reduced, which could result in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will cover the windshield wiper module vent hole with a patch. Also, the wiper motor, circuit board, and electrical connector will be inspected to signs of water intrusion and/or corrosion and be replaced as required. The recall began july 6, 2004. Owners should contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438; oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537; or gmc at 1-866-996-9463.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Loss of Headlights (RQ17002) — opened Apr 24, 2017, closed Mar 29, 2021.
- Fuel pump module leaks gasoline (EA07009) — opened Jul 10, 2007, closed Aug 28, 2008.
- Fuel tank leak (PE07014) — opened Mar 13, 2007, closed Jun 12, 2007.
- Fuel pump module leaks gasoline (PE07013) — opened Mar 12, 2007, closed Jul 10, 2007.
- Brake lamp failure (EA04021) — opened Aug 3, 2004, closed Nov 4, 2004, led to recall 04V527000.
- Fuel spillage during refueling (PE04001) — opened Jan 5, 2004, closed May 7, 2004.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER EXT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT FUEL WAS LEAKING NEAR THE BOTTOM REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE CHECK VALVE WAS FRACTURED. JOE LUNGHAMER CHEVROLET (475 SUMMIT DR, WATERFORD TWP, MI 48328…
The abs light has come on and then it would work sometimes and not other times. Now it never works. Now that its winter i'm sliding at stop signs that aren't even that slippery. The actuators in the heating and cooling are not working properly. All summer i had heat blowing all the time and…
Has a bad gas smell leaking gas somewhere
One by one things have been going out and not working. First the car would not start all the time with the key, then the a/c stoped working, next was the fuel pump, then the injectors. I checked everything it could be. I was driving with my kids down the highway when my car just died lost power…
When driving for 30 to 45 mins all the instruments on dash start sticking and reading wrong information. In the picture my car is parked .
Other Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT years
← 2002 Trailblazer EXT · 2004 Trailblazer EXT →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 Trailblazer EXT | 189 | 6 |
| 2004 Trailblazer EXT | 261 | 1 |
| 2003 | 313 | 3 |
| 2002 Trailblazer EXT | 100 | 3 |
See all Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT problems by year, every Chevrolet model, or the Chevrolet VIN decoder.
Similar Chevrolet models
Embed this 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT?
Owners most often report fuel system, gasoline, electrical system, power train problems. The top one, fuel system, gasoline, accounts for 80 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Trailblazer EXT model years, the 2003 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.